Eastman students and graduates are regularly recognized in the professional world including major awards, commissions, and professional appointments.
Note: If you are a student of the Eastman School in Composition and wish to register a prize, award, or honor you have received, please send us your update here.
Marco Alunno, Professor, Universidad EAFIT (Colombia)
Jacob Bancks, Assistant Professor, Augustana College
Jeniffer Bellor, Visiting Assistant Professor of Composition, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Christopher Chandler, Visiting Instructor of Music, University of Richmond
Paul Coleman, Instructor in Composition and Music Theory, SUNY Fredonia
Todd Coleman, Associate Professor of Music, Elon University
Kevin Ernste, Associate Professor of Music, Cornell University
Stefan Freund, Associate Professor of Music, University of Missouri-Columbia
Vera Ivanova, Associate Professor, Chapman University
Mikel Kuehn, Professor, Bowling Green University
Pat Long, Associate Professor, Susquehanna University
Alex Miller, Lecturer, Chapman University
Daniel Pesca, Director of Chamber Music and Artist-in-Residence (Contemporary Keyboard), University of Chicago
Scott Petersen, Assistant Director, YalMusT; Music IT Specialist, Yale University
David Plylar, Music Specialist, Concert Producer at Library of Congress
Kevin Puts, Professor of Composition, Peabody Conservatory of Music
Nicolas Scherzinger, Professor, Syracuse University
Matthew Schreibeis, Assistant Professor, Department of Music at Hong Kong Baptist University
Baljinder Sekhon II, Assistant Professor of Composition, University of South Florida
Aaron Travers, Associate Professor, Indiana University
Symeon Waseen, Associate Professor in Theory/Piano, Black Hills State University
Eastman graduate students may be awarded scholarships in two forms: departmental assistantships and teaching fellowships. In composition, these scholarships typically involve teaching courses, such as non-major composition and orchestration, or performing administrative services such as overseeing the Composers Forum.
At the end of each academic year, the Composition Department meets to award students the following prizes in composition: Howard Hanson Orchestral and Ensemble Prizes, the Bernard Rogers Prize, the Louis Lane Prize, the McCurdy Prize, the Bernard and Rose Sernoffsky Prize, and the Belle Gitelman Award.
1987 Carl Witt
1988 Paul Brantley
1989 Xiao-Gang Ye
1990 Bryan Zoelch
1991 Michael Martinez DeMurga
1992 Shafer Mahoney
1993 David Mattingly
1994 Kevin Putz
1995 Scott Good
1996 Donald J. Sparr
1997 Scott Adams
1998 Benjamin Newhouse
1999 Todd Coleman
2000 Aaron Travers
2001 Allison Ogden
2002 Jeff Myers
2004 Kyle Blaha
2005 David Plylar
2006 Jacob Bancks
2007 Baljinder Sekhon
2008 Andrew McManus
2009 Baljinder Sekhon
2010 Baljinder Sekhon
2012 Jennifer Bellor
2013 George Stang
2014 Jason Thorpe Buchanan
1987 Paul Reller and James Bennett
1988 Sun-Hyun Yun
1989 Michael Ruszczynski
1990 Michael Ruszczynski
1991 Todd Frazier
1992 John Bergstrom and Kevin Putz
1993 Mikel Kuehn
1994 Robert Eidschun
1995 Natuki Yoshioka
1996 Patrick Long
1997 Donald J. Sparr
1998 Gregory Mertl
1999 Stefan Freund
2000 Kevin Ernste
2001 Dennis Desantis
2002 Dennis Desantis
2004 Vincent Calianno2005 Zachary Wadsworth
2006 Christopher Brakel
2007 Robert Pierzak and Hiroyuki Sakurai
2008 Jung Sun Kang
2009 Andrew Allen
2010 Justin Hoke
2012 Dongryul Lee
2013 Theocharis Paptrechas
2014 Jonathan Kane
1987 Robert Constable
1988 Lee Gannon and Xiaogang Ye
1989 David Heuser
1990 Christopher Keyes
1991 Peter Hamlin
1992 Gareth Farr and Belinda Takahashi
1993 Renee Favand
1994 Howard Yermish
1995 Damon Lee
1996 Tellef Johnson
1997 Cenk Ergun
1998 Ira Byelick
1999 Gregory Mertl
2000 Winnie Cheung
2001 Eric Dudley
2002 Ben Hackbarth
2004 Vera Ivanova
2005 Arthur Williford
2006 Alex Miller
2007 Tonia Ko
2008 Tonia Ko
2009 Matthew Barber
2010 Tonia Ko
2012 Edo Frenkel
2013 Thomas Dougherty
2014 Anh Dang Minh Vu
1987 Richard Cornell and Dan Warburton
1988 Nami Cho and Betsy Schramm
1989 Nami Cho and Paul Nauert
1990 Michael Johanson
1991 Michael Johanson
1992 Peter Hamlin and David Lefkowitz
1993 Alex Freeman
1994 Mikel Kuehn
1995 David Mallamud
1996 Jeremy Gill
1997 Matt McGaughey
1998 Gregory Spears
1999 Nicolas Scherzinger
2000 Dennis DeSantis
2001 Ming-Hsiu Yen
2002 Kevin Ernste
2004 Chris Winders
2005 Jairo Duarte-Lopez
1987 Lance Hulme, Paul Brantley, and Michael Ruszczynski
1988 E. Kim Brock, Christopher Keyes, and Michael Ruszczynski
1989 Alton Clingan, John Russo, and David Rogers
1990 Todd Frazier and Betsy Schramm
1991 Jude Navari and Shafer Mahoney
1992 Paul Barsom, Renee Favand, and Chris Theofanidis
1993 John Bergstrom
1994 Marc Fanara and Aaron Miller
1995 Arto Artinian
1996 John Orfe
1997 James Harrold and Joseph Michaels
1998 Vicente Avella and Stefan Freund
1999 Matthew McGaughey
2000 Caleb Burhans and David Wish
2001 Kenneth Eberhard
2002 Jason Federmeyer and Hannah Lash
1987 Deniz Ince and Marc Mellits
1988 David Heuser and David Rogers
1989 Catherine Nez and Betsy Schramm
1990 Jude Navari
1991 Todd Frazier
1993 Charles Lee
1994 Christopher Bailey and Christopher Wicks
1995 Jeremy Gill
1996 Natsuki Yoshioka
1997 John Orfe
1998 Gregory Spears
1999 Joseph Michaels
2000 Allison Ogden
2001 Christopher Murray
2002 Adam Roberts
2005 Jonathan Graybill
2006 Abby Aresty
2007 Andrew Colella and Michael Lee
2008 Jennifer Bellor, Justin Hoke and Joungbum Lee
2009 John Liberatore, Andrew McManus, Jennifer Bellor, and Lena Nietfeld
2010 Eugene Astapov, Yie Eun Chun, and Dongryul Lee
2012 Joungbum Lee
2012 Lena Nietfield
2012 Igor Santos
2013 Jennifer Bellor
2013 Jung Sun Kang
2013 John Liberatore
2014 Aristea Mellos
2014 Zachery Sheets
2014 Justin Jaramillo
1993 Sally Chen and Patrick Long
1995 Michael DeMurga
1997 Gavin Chuck and Yoshihisa Hirano
1999 Kevin Ernste and Aaron Travers
2000 Todd Coleman
2001 Kevin Ernste
2005 Sarana Chou, Paul Coleman and Scott Petersen
2006 Vera Ivanova and Scott Petersen
2007 David Plylar and Michael Eremiasova
2008 Baljinder Sekhon II and Paul Coleman
2009 Joung Bum Lee and Justin Hoke
2010 Jung Sun Kang and Lena Nietfeld
2012 Daniel Brottman
2012 Joshua Hey
2012 John Liberatore
2012 Jason Thorpe Buchanan
2013 Daniel Pesca
2013 Christopher Chandler
2014 Nathan Stang
2014 Theocharis Papatrechas
2014 Daniel Pesca
2000 Ming-Hsiu Yen
2002 Matthew Barnson
2004 Arthur Williford
2008 Feng-Hsu Lee and Andrew Allen
2010 Anthony Duarte
2012 Matt Barber
2012 Thomas Dougherty
2014 Daniel Pesca
2003 Payton MacDonald
2005 Daniel Iannantuono
2007 Baljinder Sehkon
2009 Lena Nietfeld and Rohan Krishnamurthy
2004 Marco Alunno
2004 Jairo Duarte
2004 Ben Hackbarth
2008 Elizabeth Kelly and John Liberatore
2010 Symeon Waseen
2012 Stylianos Dimou
2012 Baljinder Singh Sekhon, II
2013 Stylianos Dimou
2013 Daniel Brottman
2014 David Mettens
2014 Christopher Chandler
2006 Michaela Eremiasova
2007 Elizabeth Kelly
2008 Baljinder Sekhon II
2013 Thomas Dougherty
2013 Theocharis Papatrechas
2013 George Stang
Adam Kehl Commission
2013 David Clay Mettens
Alan Tyndall Hutchinson Young Composers Competition
1995 Donald J. Sparr
American Academy of Arts and Letters, Charles Ives Fellowship
1995 (Former Student) Chris Theofanidis
American Academy of Arts and Letters, Charles Ives Scholarship
1995 (Former Student) Carlos Carrillo
American Academy of Arts and Letters, Goddard Lieberson Fellowship
1995 (Former Student) Stephen Halloran
American Academy of Arts and Letters, Wladimir and Rhoda Lakond Award
1995 (Former Student) J. Todd Frazier
American Composers Orchestra’s Annual Witaker New Music Readings
2000 Gregory Spears
2004 Robert Paterson
American Composers Orchestra (ACO) Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute (JCOI)
2013 Jennifer Bellor
American Conservatory in Fontainebleau, France
2012 Christopher Chandler
American Festival of the Arts, Residency and Performance
1996 Natsuki Yoshioka
American Guild of Organists/E. C. Schirmer Publishing Choral Competition
1998 Aaron Travers
2000 Aaron Travers
American Music Center Composer Assistance Program Grant
2000/2004 Robert Paterson
2005 David Plylar
American Opera Initiative, Washington National Opera
2013 Jennifer Bellor
Annual New Music Festival at Bowling Green State University
2008 Michaela Eremiasova (Guest Composer)
2008 Jairo Duarte-Lopez (Guest Composer)
Apeldoorn Young Composers Meeting
2009 Elizabeth Kelly (2nd prize)
ASCAP Foundation Grants to Young Composers
1991 Alton Clingan, Todd Frazier, and Kevin Putz
1993 David Lefkowitz, Carter Pann, Belinda Takahashi, Howard Yermish, and and
Bryan Zoelch1994 Gregory Mertl, Gregory Spears, and Belinda Takahashi
(Former Students) Carlos Carrillo, Alex Freeman, Marc Mellits, Carter Pann, and
Chris Theofanidis)
1998 David Wish
1999 Robert Paterson
2000 Gregory Mertl (Raymond Hubbell Scholarship Award)
ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer
1997 Telleff Johnson, Damon Lee, and Gregory Mertl
1998 Stefan Freund, Gregory Mertl and Robert Paterson
2000 Stefan Freund, Gregory Mertl, David Wish and Robert Paterson
2001 Stefan Freund and Adam Roberts; Honorable Mention, Zachary Wadsworth
2004 Vera Ivanova, Kyle Blaha, Alex Miller
2005 Ching-Mei Lin
2006 Baljinder Sekhon II
2008 Elizabeth Kelly
2009 Elizabeth Kelly, Steven Rice
2014 Jason Thorpe Buchanan
ASCAPlu$ Award
1998-2005 Robert Paterson
2002-2005 Christopher Brakel
2006-2007 Andrew McManus
2007-2008 Scott Petersen
ASCAP Rudolf Nissim Award
2013 Michaela Eremiasova
ASCAP/SEAMUS Commission
2013 Christopher Chandler
Asifa-East Award for Excellence in Experimental Techniques
2007 Michaela Eremiasova
Aspen Music Festival
1995/1999 Robert Paterson
2004/2005 Ching-Mei Lin
2008 Jennifer Bellor and Elizabeth Kelly
2011 Steve Rice
Atlantic Center for the Arts Associate Artist
2000 Robert Paterson
2002 Jeff Myers
Audio Inversions Composition Competition
2008 Baljinder Sekhon II
Auros Group for New Music Composition Competition winner
2005 Robert Paterson
Austin Peay State Young Composers Award
2002 Jeff Myers
2008 Andrew Allen
2013 Christopher Chandler
Baldvin Oddsen Commission
2014 Alexander Leon
Barlow Foundation Commission
2001 Todd Coleman
2002 Matthew Barnson
2003 Aaron Travers
Barlow International Orchestra Competition
1999 (Former Student) Kevin Putz
Best New Art Award
2006 Michaela Eremiasova
BMG Prize
1997 Donald J. Sparr
BMI Boudleaux Bryant Prize
1995 John Orfe
BMI Pete Carpenter Fellowship
1998 Benjamin Newhouse
2000 Ben Newhouse
BMI Student Composer Awards
1991 Shafer Mahoney and Jude Navari
1992 Shafer Mahoney
1993 Carlos Carrillo
1996 Christopher Bailey and Kevin Putz
1997 Jeremy Gill and Donald J. Sparr
(Former Students) Kevin Putz and Michael Timpson
1996 Donald J. Sparr
1997 Tellef Johnson, John Orfe, and Gregory Spears
1998 Kevin Putz
2000 (Former Student) John Kaefer
2001 Jeff Myers
2008 Justin Hoke
BMI William Schumann Prize
1998 John Orfe
BMI and Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra
1993 Carlos Carrillo
1998 Donald J. Sparr
Bowdoin International Music Festival
2003 Alex Miller
2005 Ching-Mei Lin
2009 Aristea Mellos
Brian M Israel Prize
1999 Robert Paterson
2001 Winnie Cheung
2008 Baljinder Sekhon II
2013 Christopher Chandler
Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme at Aldeburgh
2011 Gilad Rabinovitch
Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music Composers Workshop
2009 Steven Rice
Chamber Music Rochester Young Composer’s Competition
2008 Andrew Allen
Chamber Music Campania Festival, Fiate 5 Wind Quintet
2014 Jason Thorpe Buchanan
Chamber Opera Workshops (Budapest, Hungary)
2013 Stylianos Dimou
Charles Ives Award
1998 Kevin Putz
2004 Aaron Travers
Civic Orchestra of Chicago Commission
2001 Todd Coleman
2002 Aaron Travers
Commission Project, Cuenca, Ecuador
2014 Alexander Leon
Commission Project, Rochester, NY
2004-5 Vera Ivanova, Composer-in-Residence
2005-6 Michaela Eremiasova, Composer-in-Residence
2007-8 Michaela Eremiasova, Composer-in-Residence
Composer-in-Residence, Seaside, FL
2002 Aaron Travers
Composition Trophy “C. A. Seghizzi”
2007-8 Michaela Eremiasova (Finalist)
Concours de composition acousmatique “Metamorphoses”
Vera Ivanova (First Prize)
Cornell Chamber Singers Commission
2013 Gilad Rabinovitch
Darmstadt Internationales Musikinstitut Contemporary Opera Workshop
2014 Jason Thorpe Buchanan
Domaine Forget New Music Symposium Scholarship (Canada)
2013 Christopher Chandler
DownBeat Outstanding Performance Award for Composition
2013 Jennifre Bellor
Elizabeth Rogers Commission
2005 Matthew Barber and Daniel Pesca
Fairport Commission
2000 Todd Coleman
Festival A Tempo, Caraca, Venezuela
2002 Guest Artist Kyle Blaha
Finger Lakes Chamber Ensemble New Music Competition|
2001 Robert Paterson
“First Hearing” by Civic Orchestra of Chicago
1999 Gregory Mertl
2000 Todd Coleman
First Music Commission
1991 Christopher Keyes
1995 Carlos Carrillo
1999 David Mallamud and Kevin Putz
(Former Students) Carter Penn
2000 David Mallamud, Kevin Putz and Carter Penn
2000 Gregory Spears
2003 Jeff Myers
Fourth Annual Mizzou International Composers Festival
2012 Jason Thorpe Buchanan
Fübis Universität Summer Composition Program
2014 Alexander Leon
Frederic Mompou International Award
2007 Andrew Allen (Honorable Mention)
Fromm Foundation Commission
2002 Jeff Myers
Gerondelis Foundation Tuition Scholarship
2012 Stylianos Dimou
Guggenheim Fellowship
2000 Kevin Puts
The Hartt School of Music Young Composers Awards, University of Hartford
2002 Herbert Zipper Prize-Jonathan Graybill
Hubell Music Scholarship by ASCAP
1993 Paul Barsom
Internationale Ferienkurse für Neue Musik (Darmstadt, Germany)
2006 Christopher Brakel
International Society for Contemporary Music Competition, Miami Chapter
2004 Sarana Chou, competition winner
International Festival & Summer Course, Tzlil Meudcan (Israel)
2013 Stylianos Dimou
Iktus Percussion Commission
2013 Jason Thorpe Buchanan
June in Buffalo Festival
1999 Robert Paterson
2003 Christopher Brakel
2005 Sarana Chou
2008 Matthew Barber
2012 Christopher Chandler
2013 Jason Thorpe Buchanan
Le Nouvel Ensemble Moderne Festival, Conducted by Lorraine Vaillancourt
2013 Christopher Chandler
Lili Boulanger Memorial Fund Composition Prize
2004 Aaron Travers
Los Angeles Film and Script Festival – Best Feature Documentary “Modern Nature”
204 Alexander Leon
Louisville Orchestra Composition Contest
2005 Robert Paterson
Lucerne Festival Academy
2005 Oliver Hagen – selected as active participant
MacDowell Colony
2003 Robert Paterson
2006 Alex Miller
Meir Rimon Commissioning Assistance Program of the International Horn Society
2013 Jason Thorpe Buchanan
Minnesota Orchestra Composers Institute
2004 Robert Paterson and David Plylar
2008 Andrew McManus
4th Annual Mizzou International Composers Festival
2013 Jason Thorpe Buchanan
Muziek Centrum Nederland International Gaudeamus Music Week
2009 Elizabeth Kelly
Musica Domani International Composition (third prize)
2012 Stylianos Dimou
NFMC Marion Richter American Music Composers Award
2005 Jonathan Graybill, second place
Nadia Boulanger Prize in Composition
2013 Christopher Chandler
National Endowment for the Arts Composers Fellowship
1995 Robert Eidschun
National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts Young Composers Award
1996 Kala Pierson
National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts Young Composers Award
1996 Kala Pierson
National Prize of Music in Composition, Ministry of Culture of Colombia
2007 Jairo Duarte-Lopez (First Prize)
New Music Delaware Composition Contest
New Music on the Point Festival, Vermont
2013 Daniel Brottman
2014 Dan Kohane
2014 Alexander Leon
1995 Natsuki Yoshioka
Oberlin Composition Contest
2002 Jonathan Graybill
Penfield Music Commission Project
2000 Todd Coleman
Percussive Arts Society International Composition Prize
2008 Baljinder Sekhon (2nd Prize)
Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society Membership
2002 Christopher Brakel
2002 Alexandra Fol
2004 Alex Miller
Portico Dans Theater Call-for Scores Winner
2014 (Summer) Alexander Leon – “Magnificent King George III,” for string trio, Tulsa Performing Arts Center
Roger Wagner Choral Composition Competition
1995 Francesco Accolla (Honorable Mention)
SCI/ASCAP Student Commission Competition
2005 Ching-Mei Lin – finalist (regional winner)
Society of Composers, Inc. Region VIII Conference, University of Montana
2005 Alex Miller (selected participant)
Society of Composers, Inc. Student National Conference
2005 Christopher Brakel (selected participant)
Sounds New Contemporary Music Festival – International Composers Pyramid England and France
2012 Stylianos Dimou
St. Cyril and Methodius International Foundation, Annual Music Scholarship for Excellence
2002 Alexandra Fol
Sydney Contemporary Orchestra Call-for Scores Winner
2014 (September) Alexander Leon – “Icarus” for orchestra, Sydney, Australia
Tampa Bay Composers Forum First Prize for Excellence in Chamber Music Composition
2001 Robert Paterson
Tanglewood Summer Fellowship
1998 Gregory Mertl
2002 Jeff Myers
Tyler Youth Orchestra New Music Project Composition Contest
2009 Steven Rice
Tzlil Meudcan International New Music Festival Commission
2014 Jason Thorpe Buchanan
University of Aberdeen Music Prize
2005 Vera Ivanova – finalist
Upbeat Festival
2013 Daniel Brottman
Volti Choral Arts Laboratory
2005 Robert Paterson
VOX New York City Opera Festival
2008-2009 Michaela Eremiasova
2008-2009 Jairo Duarte-Lopez (Guest Composer)
Yellow Barn Young Artists Program
2013 Eli Greenhoe
2013 Alexander Leon
Young American Composer in Residence, California Symphony
1995 Chris Theofanidis
YoungArts Winner
2013 Alexander Leon
Young Composers Forum, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
2005 Ching-Mei Lin and Jonathan Graybill
2008 John Liberatore